This invention refers to the Document Disclosure number 519242, dated Oct. 1, 2002 Lenyo, Ann.
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to infant head support pad while sleeping to prevent flat head syndrome, specifically it relates to a pad with holes and ledges in them to support and put pressure only on the outer circumference of the back head.
2. Background of Invention
We are born with a pronounced curve to the back of our head. This curve begins at the crown down to the bottom of the head. Currently Pediatricians strongly advise parents to sleep their infants exclusively on their backs to reduce the incidents of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS. The infants sleep on their backs for about the first six to eight months of life before rolling over and sleeping on the side or belly. Crib mattresses are too firm and flat, causing a pressure point on the center back of the head. This constant pressure of the baby crib mattress and/or bassinet pad on the back of the head flattens the curve of the head, leaving it to look odd and deformed; permanently altering the natural growth pattern of the brain and the natural curve of the head. The newborn must sleep with the head turned to the extreme left or right because there is no support for other angles. It takes about two years for the skull and our other bones to harden. Until this time, children""s bones are soft like cartilage, and very pliable. A disabled infant may lay on their back for a longer period of time causing a more flattening effect. After time most infants learn to roll over and sleep on their side and belly. However, too many children prefer to lay on their backs interfering with the natural growth and development of the skull. In fact many children""s and adults"" heads are left with only a slight curve at best; too many have flat deformed back heads. A disabled child may lay exclusively on its back for much longer periods of time, causing severe deformity to the skull. There are several infant support pads to deal with flat head syndrome or plagiocephaly. They include different types of foam construction, foam pad contouring, shapes, angles and contour pillows. For example U.S. Pat. No. 6,473,923 to Straub, 2002 Nov. 5, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,855 to Mann, 2002 Jul. 23, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,553 to Mann, 2001 Jul. 17, are incline smooth flat pads for the infant to lay on, their is no depression or contouring for the head, the inventors simply use an incline to somehow release the pressure point on the back of the head. It does not seem probable that much pressure is able to be reduced, just transferring a little to the baby""s back. U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,403 to Matthews, 2001 Nov. 27, uses a contour pillow attached to a pad with a hole in it. This may offer a little pressure relief but does not provide a custom fit. It does put some pressure on the sides of the head, but also puts some on the back head. U.S. Pat. No. 6,266,832 to Ezell, 2001 Jul. 31, invented a doughnut shaped pillow to relieve pressure, with the outer support angled in which would help, but infants do not have enough neck length to use a pillow, it can strain the neck, it is not custom fitted to the head and is for use in a car seat. It is somewhat close to my invention, but does not offer different sizes for a custom fit, and may not offer enough support for the infant to tilt its head at differing angles. The other inventions are contour pillows with a depression in them to conform to the head, but do not offer enough support for the sides of the head to relieve pressure on the back head, plus there is still pressure on the center back head. The patents are: U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,526 to Tu, 2001 Jul. 24, and U.S. Pat No. 6,052,850 to Salido, 2000 Apr. 25, and U.S. Pat No. 6,052,849 to Dixon et. Al, 2000 Apr. 25, and U.S. Pat No. 4,383,713 to Roston, 1983 May 17. These inventions without a hole in the pad or pillow do not relieve the pressure, and the pillow with a hole offers only a small fraction of support because it is not versatile enough to accommodate the many different sizes of infant heads and allows for pressure to be put on the neck. Parents will want a product that will offer a custom fit at all stages of growth, deep enough to only support the outer circumference of the head, and one that puts no pressure at the back when the head is turned face upward.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:
a) to provide cutouts in increasing diameter from cutout to cutout resulting with a custom fit at all stages of growth for all infants from birth until they no longer sleep predominantly on their back
b) to provide cutouts with ledges, or holes with counterbores, placed strategically around the pad to allow enough room for the child""s body to lay comfortably on the pad
c) to provide a cutout design with ledges measured to snugly fit and spread a band of pressure evenly around the outer circumference of the back portion of the head
d) to provide a ledge or inner support rim, inside each cutout, extending to the bottom of the pad for extra support
e) to provide a design with zero pressure on the large curve on the middle back of the head to provide a design to support and cradle the head in many different angles and not just straight ahead or the extreme left or right position
f) to provide a design that does not restrain the head; the head is not stuck in the cutout
g) to lay on top of mattress or in place of bassinet pad for easy placement and removal to provide convenience and portability
h) to provide for a more flexible support with give for superior comfort
i) to allow the head to grow more naturally by maintaining the curve to the brain and back of the head
j) foam plugs fill in all cutouts except the one in use, providing a level surface.
k) there is a custom cover for the pad, and the plugs which can be removed and laundered.
l) the fabric cover is customized to fit the pad and in the cutouts; the fabric and plugs are securely fastened to the bottom of the pad cover for safety.
The Infant and child back head support pad comprises a pad most probably composed of foam large enough for an infant""s body to lay on, one or several different size holes with counterbores or cutouts with ledges or inner support rims down in the cutout, measured to snugly fit and put pressure only on the outer circumference of the back of the head, plugs for all cutouts providing a level surface, a custom cover over the pad and plugs for cutouts not in use, with fasteners to secure the cover and plugs to the pad. This pad can be in various sizes with various numbers of holes with ledges. The primary version is for a crib mattress foam pad about half the mattress length and almost as wide. There are about twelve cutouts with ledges in total, placed six at one end in two rows of three and two rows of three each at the opposite end. The cutouts of two rows of three each are centered and far enough apart from each other and the edge for support and comfortable placement of infant. The cutouts with ledges are strategically placed for comfort and support. A secondary version of the pad is for a bassinet and is the size of the bassinet pad and in place of it. The pad has about four cutouts with ledges in total, two cutouts with ledges side by side at each end.